Joint for bill-boards.



w. 0. RICE. JOINT FOR BILL BOARDS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 23, I9I5.

Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

UNITED STATES PAZEENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM 1). RICE, OF CONNEAUT, OHIO.

" JOINT FOR BILL-BOARDS.

Application filed April 23, 1915. Serial No. 23,470.

To all whom it may'concem:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. RICE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Conne'aut, in the county of Ashtabula and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Joints forBill-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in joints for bill-boards, and itconsists in means for connecting two sheet-metal sheets and keeping thejoint not only tight but air and water-proof.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 is a view in elevation withparts broken away; Fig. 2 is a sectional View; and Figs. 3 and 4 showslightly modified forms.

A, A, represent two sections of sheetnietal, preferably galvanized iron,the side edges of which are bent in a break to, form flanges 1, 1. Theseflanges are brought together as shown in Fig. 2, and in the constructionshown in Figs. 1 and 2 they are held by the clamp-bars 3, 3, and theseflanges and clamp-bars are inclosed and housed by a U-shaped cap 4, theedges of which are bent outwardly in the form of flanges 5, 5, whichrest flat against the back of the galvanized sections A, A. Bolts 6, 6,preferably extend through the flan'ges 1, 1, clampbars 3, 3, and the cap4, so that in the .preferred construction these bolts secure all theparts rigidly together, and in this way a water and air-tight joint isformed, thus preventing rust, and at the same time making a rigid andsolid joint.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

The ends of the clamp-bars 3, 3, are bent laterally as at 7, andprovided with bolt holes 8, 8, whereby they are' secured to the upperand lower cross-bars of the framework of the billboard.

As a slight modification of the construction explained, in someinstances for light work it might be desirable to dispense with theclamp bars entirely, merely using the cap and bolt, as illustrated inFig. 3; or

instead of the two clamp-bars, only one might be employed, as shown inFig. 4. a

The ,main purpose of the invention, as will be understood, is to houseand inclose the elements making up the joint, making them air andwater-tight while at the same time providing-a rigid joint which affordsabrace at the adjacent edges of .the sections of the bill-board.

I claim I A bill-board comprising flanged sheetmetal sections, a capstraddling and housing two adjacent flanges which are tobe joinedtogether, clamp-bars embracing the flanges from opposite sides andinclosed and housed by the cap, and common bolts extending through theflanges, the clamp-bars and cap.

I In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

. WILLIAM i). RICE.

Witnesses: M. B. SMITH,

RUTH E. DORMAN.

